Dr Patrcia Auta, an economic expert says Nigeria’s delay to sign the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has cost the country the chance to host headquarters of the AfCFTA.

Ghana was on Sunday selected as the country to host the secretariat of the AfCFTA.

The AU review committee said the West African nation was awarded the right based on regional balance formula.

Ghana beat six other countries which had submitted their bids to host the secretariat. They were: Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar and Senegal.

Auta said that it was sad that a heavyweight like Nigeria remained conspicuously on the sidelines for long at a time of increased momentum toward continental integration.

“This state of affairs contrasts sharply with Nigeria’s prior activist roles on matters African in years gone by.

“In the past, Nigeria has used its political heft, economic power, and diplomatic and intellectual pedigree to seize the mantle of leadership that changed the course of African history.

“The country lost the establishment of the headquarters to Ghana. Imagine the number of employment this would have created.

“If we had signed on time and contested, there is no way we wouldn’t have won,’’ she said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/acfta-headquarters-lost-opportunity-for.html

To simplify it...

The AfCFTA came into force in May after clearing a key procedural hurdle and being ratified by the parliaments of 24 countries.

It aims to bring all 54 members of the African Union (AU) together in a single market of 1.2 billion people by removing trade barriers such as tariffs across Africa.
The deal is expected to boost regional trade and allow companies to expand and enter new markets.

Manufacturing industry currently accounts for only about 10% of the African Union's combined GDP of $3.4 trillion and the trade deal could make the sector more competitive and productive.

Nonsense, that ugly Ghanaian president has been rolling on the floor for months begging that they should please give him the headquarters of Afcta. Such an ugly man with his useless country.

Ghanaians wey black like sey devil fry them. Mchew

Ghana is our 37th State so no wahala

That's what you get when you have an illiterate gworo chewing dulllllard as a president.

When u are unfortunate to have a semi-illiterate Jihadist as a president of a secular country, this is what u get.

Am sure Buhari would have been fighting for the HQ if it is an Islamic organisation. But since majority of Africans are not Muslims, he almost refused membership.